Vagnozzi, S., Visinelli, L., Mena, O., & Mota, D. F. (2020). Do we have any hope of detecting scattering between dark energy and baryons through cosmology? Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 493(1), 1139–1152.
Abstract: We consider the possibility that dark energy and baryons might scatter off each other. The type of interaction we consider leads to a pure momentum exchange, and does not affect the background evolution of the expansion history. We parametrize this interaction in an effective way at the level of Boltzmann equations. We compute the effect of dark energy-baryon scattering on cosmological observables, focusing on the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature anisotropy power spectrum and the matter power spectrum. Surprisingly, we find that even huge dark energy-baryon cross-sections sigma(xb) similar to O(b), which are generically excluded by non-cosmological probes such as collider searches or precision gravity tests, only leave an insignificant imprint on the observables considered. In the case of the CMB temperature power spectrum, the only imprint consists in a sub-per cent enhancement or depletion of power (depending whether or not the dark energy equation of state lies above or below -1) at very low multipoles, which is thus swamped by cosmic variance. These effects are explained in terms of differences in how gravitational potentials decay in the presence of a dark energy-baryon scattering, which ultimately lead to an increase or decrease in the late-time integrated Sachs-Wolfe power. Even smaller related effects are imprinted on the matter power spectrum. The imprints on the CMB are not expected to be degenerate with the effects due to altering the dark energy sound speed. We conclude that, while strongly appealing, the prospects for a direct detection of dark energy through cosmology do not seem feasible when considering realistic dark energy-baryon cross-sections. As a caveat, our results hold to linear order in perturbation theory.
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Etxebeste, A., Dauvergne, D., Fontana, M., Letang, J. M., Llosa, G., Muñoz, E., et al. (2020). CCMod: a GATE module for Compton camera imaging simulation. Phys. Med. Biol., 65(5), 055004–17pp.
Abstract: Compton cameras are gamma-ray imaging systems which have been proposed for a wide variety of applications such as medical imaging, nuclear decommissioning or homeland security. In the design and optimization of such a system Monte Carlo simulations play an essential role. In this work, we propose a generic module to perform Monte Carlo simulations and analyses of Compton Camera imaging which is included in the open-source GATE/Geant4 platform. Several digitization stages have been implemented within the module to mimic the performance of the most commonly employed detectors (e.g. monolithic blocks, pixelated scintillator crystals, strip detectors...). Time coincidence sorter and sequence coincidence reconstruction are also available in order to aim at providing modules to facilitate the comparison and reproduction of the data taken with different prototypes. All processing steps may be performed during the simulation (on-the-fly mode) or as a post-process of the output files (offline mode). The predictions of the module have been compared with experimental data in terms of energy spectra, angular resolution, efficiency and back-projection image reconstruction. Consistent results within a 3-sigma interval were obtained for the energy spectra except for low energies where small differences arise. The angular resolution measure for incident photons of 1275 keV was also in good agreement between both data sets with a value close to 13 degrees. Moreover, with the aim of demonstrating the versatility of such a tool the performance of two different Compton camera designs was evaluated and compared.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Jashal, B. K., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., et al. (2020). Measurement of psi (2S) production cross-sections in proton-proton collisions at v s=7 and 13 TeV. Eur. Phys. J. C, 80(3), 185–23pp.
Abstract: The cross-sections of.(2S) meson production in proton-proton collisions at v s = 13 TeV are measured with a data sample collected by the LHCb detector corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 275 pb-1. The production cross-sections for prompt.(2S) mesons and those for.(2S) mesons from b-hadron decays (.(2S)-from-b) are determined as functions of the transverse momentum, pT, and the rapidity, y, of the.(2S) meson in the kinematic range 2 < pT < 20 GeV/c and 2.0 < y < 4.5. The production cross-sections integrated over this kinematic region are s(prompt.(2S), 13 TeV) = 1.430 +/- 0.005 (stat) +/- 0.099 (syst) μb, s(.(2S)-from-b, 13 TeV) = 0.426 +/- 0.002 (stat) +/- 0.030 (syst) μb. A new measurement of.(2S) production cross-sections in pp collisions at v s = 7 TeV is also performed using data collected in 2011, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 614 pb-1. The integrated production cross-sections in the kinematic range 3.5 < pT < 14 GeV/c and 2.0 < y < 4.5 are s(prompt.(2S), 7 TeV) = 0.471 +/- 0.001 (stat) +/- 0.025 (syst) μb, s(.(2S)-from-b, 7 TeV) = 0.126 +/- 0.001 (stat) +/- 0.008 (syst) μb. All results show reasonable agreement with theoretical calculations.
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Arguelles, C. A., Coloma, P., Hernandez, P., & Muñoz, V. (2020). Searches for atmospheric long-lived particles. J. High Energy Phys., 02(2), 190–34pp.
Abstract: Long-lived particles are predicted in extensions of the Standard Model that involve relatively light but very weakly interacting sectors. In this paper we consider the possibility that some of these particles are produced in atmospheric cosmic ray showers, and their decay intercepted by neutrino detectors such as IceCube or Super-Kamiokande. We present the methodology and evaluate the sensitivity of these searches in various scenarios, including extensions with heavy neutral leptons in models of massive neutrinos, models with an extra U(1) gauge symmetry, and a combination of both in a U(1)(B-L) model. Our results are shown as a function of the production rate and the lifetime of the corresponding long-lived particles.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Jashal, B. K., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., et al. (2020). Search for A ' -> mu(+)mu(-) Decays. Phys. Rev. Lett., 124(4), 041801–12pp.
Abstract: Searches are performed for both promptlike and long-lived dark photons, A ', produced in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. These searches look for A '->mu(+)mu(-) decays using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.5 fb(-1) collected with the LHCb detector. Neither search finds evidence for a signal, and 90% confidence-level exclusion limits are placed on the gamma-A ' kinetic mixing strength. The promptlike A ' search explores the mass region from near the dimuon threshold up to 70 GeV and places the most stringent constraints to date on dark photons with 214 < m(A ') less than or similar to 740 MeV and 10.6 < m(A ') less than or similar to 30 GeV. The search for long-lived A '->mu(+)mu(-) decays places world-leading constraints on low-mass dark photons with lifetimes O(1)ps.
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El-Neaj, Y. A. et al, & Bernabeu, J. (2020). AEDGE: Atomic Experiment for Dark Matter and Gravity Exploration in Space. EPJ Quantum Technol., 7(1), 6–27pp.
Abstract: We propose in this White Paper a concept for a space experiment using cold atoms to search for ultra-light dark matter, and to detect gravitational waves in the frequency range between the most sensitive ranges of LISA and the terrestrial LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA/INDIGO experiments. This interdisciplinary experiment, called Atomic Experiment for Dark Matter and Gravity Exploration (AEDGE), will also complement other planned searches for dark matter, and exploit synergies with other gravitational wave detectors. We give examples of the extended range of sensitivity to ultra-light dark matter offered by AEDGE, and how its gravitational-wave measurements could explore the assembly of super-massive black holes, first-order phase transitions in the early universe and cosmic strings. AEDGE will be based upon technologies now being developed for terrestrial experiments using cold atoms, and will benefit from the space experience obtained with, e.g., LISA and cold atom experiments in microgravity. KCL-PH-TH/2019-65, CERN-TH-2019-126
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Alvarez Piqueras, D., Aparisi Pozo, J. A., Bailey, A. J., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo, F. L., et al. (2020). Measurement of the Z(-> l(+)l(-))gamma production cross-section in pp collisions at root s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector. J. High Energy Phys., 03(3), 054–52pp.
Abstract: The production of a prompt photon in association with a Z boson is studied in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy s = 13 TeV. The analysis uses a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1) collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC from 2015 to 2018. The production cross-section for the process pp -> l(+)l(-)gamma + X (l = e, mu) is measured within a fiducial phase-space region defined by kinematic requirements on the photon and the leptons, and by isolation requirements on the photon. An experimental precision of 2.9% is achieved for the fiducial cross-section. Differential cross-sections are measured as a function of each of six kinematic variables characterising the l(+)l(-)gamma system. The data are compared with theoretical predictions based on next-to-leading-order and next-to-next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations. The impact of next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections is also considered.
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Ikeno, N., Ono, A., Nara, Y., & Ohnishi, A. (2020). Effects of Pauli blocking on pion production in central collisions of neutron-rich nuclei. Phys. Rev. C, 101(3), 034607–9pp.
Abstract: Pauli blocking is carefully investigated for the processes of NN <-> N Delta and Delta -> N pi in heavy-ion collisions, aiming at a more precise prediction of the pi(-)/pi(+) ratio which is an important observable to constrain the high-density symmetry energy. We use the AMD + JAM approach, which combines the antisymmetrized molecular dynamics for the time evolution of nucleons and the Jet AA Microscopic transport model to treat processes for Delta resonances and pions. As is known in general transport-code simulations, it is difficult to treat Pauli blocking very precisely due to unphysical fluctuations and additional smearing of the phase-space distribution function, when Pauli blocking is treated in the standard method of JAM. We propose an improved method in AMD + JAM to use the Wigner function precisely calculated in AMD as the blocking probability. Different Pauli blocking methods are compared in heavy-ion collisions of neutron-rich nuclei, Sn-132+Sn-124, at 270 MeV/nucleon. With the more accurate method, we find that Pauli blocking is stronger, in particular for the neutron in the final state in NN -> N Delta and Delta -> N pi, compared to the case with a proton in the final state. Consequently, the pi(-)/pi(+) ratio becomes higher when the Pauli blocking is improved, the effect of which is found to be comparable to the sensitivity to the high-density symmetry energy.
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Bayar, M., Ikeno, N., & Oset, E. (2020). Analysis of the psi (4040) and psi (4160) decay into D-(*()) (D)over-bar(()*()), D-s(()*()) (D)over-bar(s)(()*()). Eur. Phys. J. C, 80(3), 222–9pp.
Abstract: We have performed an analysis of the e+e--> D(*) data in the region of the psi(4040) and psi(4160) resonances which have a substantial overlap and require special care. By using the P-3(0) model to relate the different D(*)(D) over bar(*) production modes, we make predictions for production of these channels and compare with experiment and other theoretical approaches. As a side effect we find that these resonances qualify largely as c (c) over bar states and theweight of the meson-meson components in the wave function is very small.
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Husek, T., & Leupold, S. (2020). Radiative corrections for the decay Sigma(0) -> Lambda e(+)e(-). Eur. Phys. J. C, 80(3), 218–24pp.
Abstract: Electromagnetic form factors serve to explore the intrinsic structure of nucleons and their strangeness partners. With electron scattering at low energies the electromagnetic moments and radii of nucleons can be deduced. The corresponding experiments for hyperons are limited because of the unstable nature of the hyperons. Only for one process this turns to an advantage: the decay of the neutral Sigma hyperon to a Lambda hyperon and a real or virtual photon. Due to limited phase space the effects caused by the Sigma-to-Lambda transition form factors compete with the QED radiative corrections for the decay sigma 0 -> e+e-. These QED corrections are addressed in the present work, evaluated beyond the soft-photon approximation, i.e., over the whole range of the Dalitz plot and with no restrictions on the energy of the radiative photon.
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